Signal device



June 13, 1944. D. SWAROVSKI SIGNAL DEVICE Filed March 4, 1940 INVENTO/i DAN/EL 15' WAROI/S/(L By W ,0

ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1944 OFFICE 2,351,080 SIGNAL DEVICE Daniel Swarovski, Wattens, Tyrol, Germany: vested in the Alien- Property Custodian Application March 4, 1940, Serial No. 322,151 In Germany February 11, 1939 V v v 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to signal devices which reflect light impinging upon same in the direction in which it arrives and which are particularly useful for traific signals on highways, deck lights of vehicles, or for advertising purposes.

Conventional light signals, utilizing for instance the total reflection of triple prisms to reflect the entering light in the direction towards the source of light, are so constructed that the rear side of the glass plate has the prism forms; Proposals to cover the rear side of a plate of glass or another transparent material with individual prisms have been found impractical, because the manufacture of such light signals is very complicated. It has, however, been proposed to surround a reflecting surface forming, together with a cover plate; a one piece member, with a solidifying moldable mass tightly surrounding all sides of said member except for the surface into which the light enters. The usual metallic holders and casings of light signals must be very tightly closed, because the light signals, whether fixed or arranged at vehicles, are as a rule subjected to atmospheric actions. The different coefficients of expansion of glass and metal have an unfavorable effect. Water penetrated behind the surfaces of the reflecting members which may have the form of triple prisms reduces the reflection effect of triple prism surfaces having no mirror-foil or destroys the silver coating of reflecting surfaces.

'Pressed glass bodies formed as a unit of known light signals have the disadvantage that the surfaces engaging the holder during manufacture often have unequal distances from each other or are uneven and partially warped so that a great deal of defective work results when mounting the metal holders. For removing this defect as well as for obtaining a better sealing rubber insertions have been provided the life of which, however, is short and which; moreover, due to their sulphur content have harmful effects on the silver coating. By assembling a plurality of different parts which are of different thickness rather different total dimensions result which make the exchange of the individual members difiicult. Due to the ununiform mass distribution owing ,to the notches at the rear side, the glass bodies have interior stresses which cause fractures al- .ready at low strains due to exterior forces or temperature differences. Finally these glass bodies may only be used with the surface condition obtainedby pressing and the thereby caused light losses due to undesired light diffusion, because the reflecting surfaces cannot be finished by a grinding and polishing operation due partially to the forming and partially to technical and economical reasons. 1

The present invention relates to light signals with individual juxtapositioned reflecting elements and the object of the invention is to avoid the above mentioned numerous disadvantages connected with conventional reflectors. The object of the present invention is to provide a, light signal in which instead of the conventional one piece glass body a plurality of reflecting elements are individually produced and then combined.

In light signals accordingto the invention the light reflecting elements are arranged in rows and, except for their surfaces into which enters the light, are embedded in a common holder consisting of a mass capable of being pressed, presscast, cast, sprayedor atomized and of tightly connecting the elements.

If the adhesive capacity between the reflectin elements and the mass alone, is not sufficient to securely hold the elements in the mass, the ele ments, preferably consisting of triple-prisms, are provided at the border of their light entrance face with facets overlapped by the embedding mass. According to the inventionthese facets may be made without performing a grinding operation by grinding the elements from double cones, double pyramids or balls the remaining surfaces of which form thei'acets. If, facets are to be avoided the mass. may overlap the edge of the light entrance surface.

During the manufacture of the common holder the mass of the latter shrinks upon the reflecting elements and perfectly tightly closesofi thelatter.

In this connection it is of particular advantage that due to the smallness of the reflecting elements the difierence'ofv heat expansion between these elements at temperature changes, occurring when using the light signals in the open air, cannot effect a harmfulor disadvantageous in fluence so that the elements permanently main: tain' a fixed and tight seat. .All disadvantages connected with conventional reflectors and due to stresses occurring in large glassbodies are'avoided,

by the present invention. Specially if the indi vidual elements are in contactwithv each other along one edge only or are arranged at a slight distance from each other, i. e. are separated from each other by mass bridges, the particular advan tage results that stresses due to temperature changes cannot Moreover, the signals compr obviated. Experiments haveproved that even great dangerof breakage of lightoccur, in between the entire body,

ising a glass body injone. piece, is

pressed i i-substantially more,---.complete optical effect isobtai'nedj-however, if either, all or apart of the surfaces of the reflecting elements are ground and polished. Experiments have proved that this operation may economically be carried out.

In the accompanying drawing e inventionis shown by way of example. I In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of "a reflectin g ele ment according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a modified reflecting element.ac-'

cording to the invention, V I 3 illustrates -a third form of reflectingeleirients accord'ing'to-theinvention,-

Fig. 4 shows a fourth form 'of-refl'ecting elements according to-the invention,

---= -Fig'-..5 is a side elevationof a triple prism ground from: 2. double-coneaccording to the present jnyef tion lgl- 5 .7.1 J I. Fig. dis-aside elevation of a-triple'prisrn ground from a ball, according to the invention;

Fig'l 'l illustrates afurther form ofa reflecting element; made accordingto-the present invention.

Fig. -8 is a section"througha light signal accor'dingto the invention,-

-'=Fig.: 9 is atopplanviw of the light signal illustratedin Fig.8, l

-= -Fig;-'10 is a top'plan-view of a modified light signal; accordingtothe invention,

-Fig. 11- shows a section through a modified light signal according to the invention, 1 Figfi-lz illustrates a top plan view of alight boardinthe form of'a hexagon according-to the intention;- Figg lfishows "alight board in the form of a an e i 1 g; l -shows a'perspective rear view of a triple prisinis having small facets z a't thelight en trance surface 3.- Fig; 2showsfa' rear plan view eta triple prism lof similar construction. The e ges a of the pyramid of this prism are provided manage. "Accordirig"toFig. 3f the corners 5 of the originallightentrance surface 3 of triangular shape are ,cut away, so that the remainiiiglig'ht entranceopeningjof the. 'tripleprism I? 'f' ghexagon; According to Fig. 4 the,cor-

N of the; ftriangle are'but away. in sucha manner that alightentrance surface in the shape of a rectangle remainsibf: the body I Both figures show the, small "facets 2. which' as a rule are desired for holdingv the element when being V facet, 2 is formed, without performinga grinding; operation, by? the remaining conical surface.

he triple: prism also may be ground; from a double Pyrexnid f According toFig. Qthe triple "prismis ground infa'similar mannerfroma ball: 9.-- The facets, '2 are 'formed by. the remaining spherical y The, ligh,t entrance surfaces according 'to" Figures 5 "land ffi have circular form. If the surfaces of'the tripleprisms are ground so deep as to;intersect with; the [light .entrance surf ace .."*s0 that' the cohicalfsurface the, spherical tion shown in Fig. 7 results according to which the light entrance surface of the triple prism I I nearly forms a hexagon. The edges of the surfaces of the triple prism intersecting the light entrance surface are designated with II. The facets 2" in this case are present at three points only.

.Fig. 8 shows a section through ..and Fig, 9 an elevation of a light signal I2 which for instance is adapted to be connected to the pedal crank of abicycle. The light entrance surfaces 3 of the triple prims I are embedded flush with the front surface of the holder l2, whereby the mass I3, present in bridge form between the light entrance with elements I having rectangular light entrance surfaces.- Of course, facets 2 are present at all elements in spite of the fact that for the sake of simplicity they are not shown inFigs. 9 and 10. a A projection i4 may be provided on holder I2 as shown in Fig. 11 for attaching the device to other bodies. Figs. 12 and13 show further examples of light boards in the form of a hexagon and a triangle respectively. Y r v V For the manufacture ofthe holder, masses plastic when heated andcapable of being hardened by additional heat which masses may be obtained on the market first of all come into consideration, 1. e. such masses which in a hot state may be'workedby a method of pressing, press-casting,

. orcasting and eventually may be hardened by e Wi 11? eei pee s. infinit construean'additional supply 'ofheat. Moreover, sprayabl e or atomizable metals may be usedfor the manufacture of the holders.

It is obvious that light signalsaccording to the invention are freeof suchinterior stresses as are unavoidable in connection with conventional light signals. -The"small reflecting elements I have verylow stresses only which, moreover, have no effect whatever on thelight signal itself in spite of the fact that the signal forms a unified piece. Elements are preferably provided with smooth upper surfaces so that the front side lying free after mounting may easily be cleanedbywiping.

The reflecting elementsmay, however, be embedded somewhat deeper in the holder. The dimensions of the light signals produced ,in large masses are exactly equal, because. they are made in exactly limitedhollow molds. The tight and exact closure of the reflecting prism surfaces also is of particularimportance and it is possible to arrange elementsof different form, construction or. diffusing in the light signal, for instance for thepurpose of influencing the light distribution inbetweena given difiusion angle.- Elements of different colours'also may be embedded to obtain corresponding colour effects.- Light signals accordingto the present inventionconstitute an improvement over conventional light signals ,because the quantity of glass used is considerably reduced and stamped metalholders, casings, rubberinsertion and the like are avoided. The light signals according to the invention are far superior to the known signals because of the fact,

that the prism surfaces. may be ground. The

formed substantially by the light entrance surfaces of said elements to provide a unitary structure with said elements, the facet surfaces of said elements being covered by said holder, and each of said elements having a reflecting surface extending rearwardly from each facet surface and sloping inwardly and towards each other to meet in an apex, the portion of each element having the reflecting surfaces being embedded in said 10 holder. I

DANIEL SWAROVSKI. 

